Pull tab with hinged connecting portion

ABSTRACT

This disclosure relates to a pull tab of the type having a forward body portion and a rear gripping portion and wherein the body portion has an integral connecting part formed therein by a generally C-shaped lance. The invention particularly relates in the reforming of the body portion immediately adjacent opposite ends of the C-shaped lance so as to both reinforce the body portion against tearing and to define a positive hinge line.

United States Patent Inventor Charles E. Rich Palos Heights. Ill.

Appl. No. 790,266

Filed Jan. 10,1969

Patented Feb. 2. 1971 Assignee Continental Can Company. Inc.

New York,

a corporation of New York PULL TAB WITH HINGED CONNECTING PORTION 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl H 220/54 Int. Cl t i B65d 17/24 Field of Search 220/53, 54,

{56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3.366.270 1/1968 Khoury 220/54 3404,80] 10/1968 Silver 220/54 Primary ExaminerGeorge T. Hall AIt0rneyDiller. Brown, Ramik and Holt ABSTRACT: This disclosure relates to a pull tab of the type having a forward body portion and a rear gripping portion and wherein the body portion has an integral connecting part formed therein by a generally C-shaped lance. The invention particularly relates in the reforming of the body portion immediately adjacent opposite ends of the Cshaped lance so as to both reinforce the body portion against tearing and to define a positive hinge line.

PATENIEU FEB 2197: 3559.842

lllmisllllllllm v 6 J INVENTOR CHARLES E. R\CH M Q%QM* 6W PULL TAB WITH HINGED CONNECTING PORTION This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in pull tabs, and more particularly relates to a pull tab of the type which is of a generally rigid construction and which includes a forward body portion and a rear grrpping'portion. The body portion is provided with a C-shaped lance to define a connecting part which is intended to be rigidly secured to a tear strip by means of a rivet or other suitable connecting device.

It is to be understood that in pull tabs of the foregoing type, a very high stress is placed upon the connection between the body portion and the connecting part during the initial rupture of the sheet material component of which the tear strip is a part. Prior to the initial rupture, there will be a material hinging of the pull tub relative to the connecting part due both to the inherent characteristics of the pull tab construction and a slight bending or buckling of the sheet material. When this occurs, a definite hinging action is required. Furthermore, when the pull on the pull tub is other that a longitudinal pull, there is a tendency for the pull tab to twist and to tear transversely across the hinge line. It is, therefore, important that the pull tab not only be so constructed wherein a positive hinge line is defined in said body portion transversely thereof at one end of the connecting part, but also that the body portion is so configurated and reinforced so as to prevent the initiation of tearing along the hinge line.

In accordance with this invention, the foregoing objects are accomplished by configurating the C-shaped lance so as to have reversely turned end portions whereby the ends of the lance terminate in a direction opposite of that from the normal tearing stress placed upon the body portion, and the body portion is reinforced immediately adjacent the reversely turned end portions of the lance by the upward turning thereof.

Another feature of this invention is to provide a simple reinforcement of a pull tab body at opposite ends of a C-shaped lance defining a connecting part in said body portion by mere ly providing offset flange like areas in the body portions at the ends of the lance.

A further object of this invention is to provide a pull tab of the type wherein the body portion is provided with a connecting part defined by a generally C-shaped lance and wherein the body portion is upwardly turned at the opposite ends of the lance so as to both reinforce the body portion and to provide a clearance between the body portion and an adjacent portion of the connecting part whereby freedom of hinging of the body portion relative to the connecting part is assured during the use ofthe pull tab.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a can end having secured to a removable portion thereof a pull tab formed in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and shows more specifically the details of the improved pull tab construction.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a part of the body portion of the pull tab and shows specifically the reforming thereof at one end of the C-shaped lance.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 and more specifically shows the reforming of the body portion.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a conventional full opening can end 5 of the easy opening type. The can end 5 is conventionally secured to a can body 6 by means of a double seam 7. The can end 5 includes an end panel 8 having formed therein adjacent the double seam 7 a circumferential weakening or score line 9. The score line 9; in turn, defines a removable panel portion 10 which is removed in its entirety by first applying a downward pressure thereon along one part of the score line 9 to effect an initial rupture of the end panel 8 along the score line 9, followed by the upward tearing out of the removable panel portion 10 along the score line 9.

In order to effect the manual opening of the can 6 and the tearing out of the removable panel portion 10, there is secured to the removable panel portion 10 a pull tab which is the subject of this invention, the pull tab being generally identified by the numeral 11. The pull tab 11 is preferably formed of sheet metal and is of a rigid construction. Basically speaking, the pull tab 11 includes a forward body portion 12 and a rear gripping portion 13. The body portion 12 terminates at the forward end thereof in a nose 14 which is engageable with the end panel 8 in alignment with the score line 9 to apply the rupturing pressure to the end panel 8. On the other hand, the gripping portion 13 is in the form of a ring to facilitate the lifting of the pull tab to apply such rupturing pressure through the nose 14.

It is to be noted that the pull tab 11 is permanently and fixedly secured to the removable panel portion 10 by means of a rivet 15 which is preferably integrally formed with the removable panel portion 10. The rivet 15 is received by a relatively fiat panel 16 of the body portion 12.

In order to facilitate the hinging of the pull tab 11 relative to the removable panel portion 10 and the rivet 15, the panel 16 is provided with a generally C-shaped lance 17 which opens towards the nose 14 and which defines a connecting part 18. Hinging of the pull tab 11 relative to the connecting part 18, in order to obtain proper action of the pull tab 11, must occur along a transverse hinge line 20 which extends generally between the ends of the C-shaped lance 17.

It is to be understood that the tab 11 is highly stressed along the hinge line 20 at the time an end panel rupturing force is being applied by the nose 14. This stressing has a tendency to effect the rupture of the panel 16 starting at the opposite ends of the hinge line 20, particularly when there is a twisting of the pull tab 11 relative to the connecting part 18 due to an uneven pressure being applied through the gripping portion 13. The general tendency for the panel 16 to rupture at the opposite ends of the hinge line 20 is overcome in two ways in accordance with this invention.

Referring now to FIG. 3 in particular, it will be seen that the free ends of the C-shaped lance 17 are reversely turned as at 21 with the extreme ends 22 of the lance 17 being remote from any point of stress along the hinge line 20 and facing away from the hinge line 20. Thus, there is no tendency for a continuation of the lance 17 by a tearing action during the utilization of the pull tab 11.

A further and more important feature of this invention is the reinforcement of the panel 16 at the ends of the C-shaped lance 17 by the reforming of the panel 16 as at 23. As is best shown in FIG. 4, the panel 16 is upwardly turned away from the connecting part 18 to form a flangelike portion. The reformed portions 23 accomplish several beneficial purposes.

It will be quite apparent that the reformed portions 23 definitely reinforce the panel 16. In addition, it will be readily apparent that the reformed portions 23 definitely define the transverse hinge line 20. In addition, it will be seen that the configuration of the reformed portions 23 provide a clearance between the connecting part 18 and the adjacent portion of the panel 16 so that there will be no hangup between these parts of the pull tab 11 during the hinging action, thereby relieving and stress which would otherwise occur.

It will be readily apparent that the desired hinge construction may be formed without piercing the panel 16 so as to prevent undesired rupture of the panel at the opposite ends of the hinge line 20 and therefore, the connecting part 18 may be defined by a simple lancing operation. In addition, it will be readily apparent that the reforming of the panel 16 as at 23 mayreadily take place during the forming of other shaping operations in the forming and reinforcement of the tab 11. Accordingly, the tab construction is not only stronger than previous similar tab constructions, but may be readily formed.

Although only a preferred embodiment of tab construction has been specifically illustrated and described herein. it is to be understood that minor variations may be made in the tab construction without departing from the spirit of the invention I claim:

1. In a pull tab of the type including a forward body portion and a rear gripping portion and wherein said body portion has an integral connecting part formed therein by a generally C shaped lance, the improvement residing in reinforcement means in said body generally outside of but adjacent to said integral connecting part defining a positive hinge line in said body portion transversely thereof at one end of said connecting part whereby hinging of said pull tab relative to said connecting part without rupture is assured.

2. The pull tab of claim 1 wherein said body portion reinforcement means are at opposite ends of said C-shaped lance and generally at the opposite ends of said hinge line.

3. The pull tab of claim 1 wherein said C-shaped lance has reversely turned end portions extending away from said reinforcement means.

4. The pull tab of claim 1 wherein said C-shaped lance has reversely turned end portions extending away from said reinforcement means. and said body portion reinforcement means are at opposite ends of said C-shaped lance and generally at the opposite ends of said hinge line.

5. The pull tab of claim 4 wherein said reinforcement means are in the form of an offset flangelike area free of said connecting part.

6. The pull tab of claim 1 wherein said reinforcement means provide a clearance between said connecting part and said body portion at opposite ends of said hinge line.

7. The pull tab of claim 1 wherein said C-shaped lance has reversely turned end portions, and said reinforcement means are in the form of said body portion being upwardly turned adjacent each said reversely turned end portion and separate from said connecting part.

8. The pull tab of claim 1 wherein said reinforcement means are remote from the extreme ends of said C-shaped lance and prevent tearing of said body portion along said hinge line separate and apart of extension of said Cshaped lance by tearmg.

9. The pull tab of claim 1 wherein said reinforcement means are in the form of an offset flangelike area free of said connecting part. 

1. In a pull tab of the type including a forward body portion and a rear gripping portion and wherein said body portion has an integral connecting part formed therein by a generally C-shaped lance, the improvement residing in reinforcement means in said body generally outside of but adjacent to said integral connecting part defining a positive hinge line in said body portion transversely thereof at one end of said connecting part whereby hinging of said pull tab relative to said connecting part without rupture is assured.
 2. The pull tab of claim 1 wherein said body portion reinforcement means are at opposite ends of said C-shaped lance and generally at the opposite ends of said hinge line.
 3. The pull tab of claim 1 wherein said C-shaped lance has reversely turned end portions extending away from said reinforcement means.
 4. The pull tab of claim 1 wherein said C-shaped lance has reversely turned end portions extending away from said reinforcement means, and said body portion reinforcement means are at opposite ends of said C-shaped lance and generally at the opposite ends of said hinge line.
 5. The pull tab of claim 4 wherein said reinforcement means are in the form of an offset flangelike area free of said connecting part.
 6. The pull tab of claim 1 wherein said reinforcement means provide a clearance between said connecting part and said body portion at opposite ends of said hinge line.
 7. The pull tab of claim 1 wherein said C-shaped lance has reversely turned end portions, and said reinforcement means are in the form of said body portion being upwardly turned adjacent each said reversely turned end portion and separate from said connecting part.
 8. The pull tab of claim 1 wherein said reinforcement means are remote from the extreme ends of said C-shaped lance and prevent tearing of said body portion along said hinge line separate and apart of extension of said C-shaped lance by tearing.
 9. The pull tab of claim 1 wherein said reinforcement means are in the form of an offset flangelike area free of said connecting part. 